Samsung Biologics unveils new contract development platforms in US

Samsung Biologics said Wednesday that it is participating in BioProcess International 2024, a global biopharmaceutical conference in Boston, where it has been showcasing new contract development platforms.

BioProcess International 2024, which began Monday and runs through Thursday, is an annual event that brings together experts and companies from around the world to share the latest advancements in biopharmaceutical technologies. This year, over 220 companies are exhibiting.

Samsung Biologics has participated in the conference since 2017, the year it launched its contract development business. On the second day of the event, the company showcased two new platforms, S-Afucho and S-Opticharge, it said.

S-Afucho is an afucosylated cell line platform designed to produce enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, or ADCC, antibodies. “Afucosylated” refers to the removal of fucose sugars, a modification that enhances ADCC and boosts immune responses. These afucosylated antibodies, Samsung Biologics explained, can be used to produce more effective therapeutic antibodies, particularly for cancer treatment. The new platform demonstrates 14 times greater ADCC activity compared to the company's previous cell lines.

The other platform, S-Opticharge, is designed to precisely control charge variants in proteins, a key factor influencing both the efficacy and stability of biopharmaceuticals. By optimizing key process parameters, including media selection, additives, oxygen levels and temperature, S-Opticharge enables the production of high-quality proteins with the specific charge profile required by clients, according to Samsung Biologics.

With the addition of S-Afucho and S-Opticharge, Samsung Biologics now offers nine contract development platforms and services.

On Wednesday, Samsung Biologics hosted a networking seminar for key global clients. Throughout the conference, the company is operating a booth to present its long-term vision and product portfolio, which includes antibody-drug conjugates and messenger RNA products. Samsung Biologics aims to achieve a production capacity of 1.32 million liters by 2032.